Saturday May 19, 2012
Kick off: 19:45
Final
Allianz-Arena

Bayern Munich and Chelsea have met on two occasions so far in the Champions League. In the quarter-finals of the 2004/05 season, the Blues made it to the semi-finals by winning 4-2 at the Stamford Bridge before losing 2-3 at the Olympic Stadion.

Three of Chelsea’s six goals against Bayern have been scored by Frank Lampard, the others by Drogba (two) and Joe Cole.

Indeed, Bayern are the side against whom Lampard has scored the joint-most goals in the Champions League (three), alongside Barcelona and Liverpool.

Chelsea have played 15 times against German sides in European competition (incl. Fairs cup), winning eight times (D3 L4).

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Maxi Lopez’s agent says he wants to stay with AC Milan.

Milan do have an option to sign the 28-year-old outright this summer for a pre-agreed €8m, but it looks like they want Catania to lower their price.

“Maxi Lopez is happy at Milan and he’d like to continue his career here,” the representative told Milan News.

“The Rossoneri are satisfied with his form because they knew when they got him that he was a good player.

“However, it is not up to us now. Milan and Catania will have to strike a deal.”

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is happy Arsenal teammate Theo Walcott will be with him in the England squad for the Euros.

Oxlade-Chamberlain has 16 Premier League appearances to his name – 16 more than Walcott had when he went to Germany – and the Arsenal youngster is reassured to have his team-mate by his side.

“It is massive to have Theo in the squad as well,” Oxlade-Chamberlain told Arsenal.com.

“To be named in the squad, straight away you think of everyone else there.

“I have been watching the likes of Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard and John Terry for a number of years on TV and also playing for England. That only seems like yesterday and now I’m going to be going with them, it is a bit daunting but I can’t wait.

“Straight away, I thought about how good it would be having Theo there, because I have a mate! I get on well with Theo and when I first came to Arsenal he took me under his wing to help me out.

“I know Theo and I know that he went to a World Cup at 16 and enjoyed it. That obviously gives me inspiration and encouragement and I’m really looking forward to it.”

New England captain Steven Gerrard is upset seeing Kenny Dalglish sacked at Liverpool.

The Scot was sacked on Wednesday by owners Fenway Sports Group and Gerrard reflected the views of many when he voiced his sadness at the decision.

“The last 24 hours have been a rollercoaster for me,” the newly-installed England captain told liverpoolfc.tv.

“I am very sad to see Kenny leave our club. He is my idol and will always be my idol and I would like to express my thanks and appreciation for what he has done for my career.

“My focus now is on doing my best for England in the European Championships and then returning to Liverpool for a new season where we will look to build on the progress of the last 18 months and be competitive at the business end of the Premier League.”

John Terry plans to send Chelsea players out at the Allianz Arena fully fired up for their Champions League final clash with Bayern Munich.

The London Evening Standard says the suspended Terry is determined to be with his colleagues before kick-off at the Allianz Arena and give a motivational speech in the hope it helps inspire Chelsea to victory.

He will then take a seat in the stands to watch the game.

The 31-year-old defender has made sure his involvement in the pre-match preparations doesn’t undermine what coach Roberto Di Matteo has planned.

In fact, the Italian has encouraged Terry to play a major part in the build-up even though he won’t be playing in the match.

Tottenham striker Jermain Defoe is relieved to have made England’s Euros squad.

Defoe feared for his place after failing to nail down a regular start at Spurs this past season.

He told Tottenham’s website: “I’m delighted because I knew last summer I had a massive season coming up and I worked hard on my fitness to be as sharp as possible.

“I think that work has paid off.”

Bayern Munich star Franck Ribery says a second Champions League final defeat will slay Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich.

The French international winger knows Abramovich has been waiting a long time to get his hands on the prized piece of silverware.

“Abramovich has wanted to win the Champions League for so long,” he said.

“If they lose it on Saturday then it will be brutally tough. It would ruin them in the head and really lower morale.”

England coach Roy Hodgson has no doubts about including Liverpool striker Andy Carroll in his Euros squad.

Fabio Capello instructed the former Newcastle player to curb his drinking habits after a number of off-field incidents, which at one point saw him bailed by police on assault charges on condition that he lived with captain Kevin Nolan.

He was also among three players sent home from an England Under-19 squad in October 2007 for breaking a curfew but Hodgson was reassured by what his Anfield successor had to say.

“I spoke to Kenny (Dalglish) at some length about him because I don’t know him particularly well as a person and one can easily be tricked by perceptions of players and what you hear or read about them,” he said.

“Kenny was absolutely convinced about the player’s ability and his personality and his seriousness as a professional and when I heard that, I had no further reservations.

“He is a different type of player to the others in the squad. He has that ability to hold the ball up, he has that aerial ability which is very useful, but he also has the ability to make runs behind defenders and use his strength and his power.”

England manager Roy Hodgson on Wednesday named the following 23-man squad for the June 8-July 1 European Championship:

Goalkeepers:

Joe Hart (Manchester City),
Robert Green (West Ham United),
John Ruddy (Norwich City)

Defenders:

Ashley Cole (Chelsea),
John Terry (Chelsea),
Glen Johnson (Liverpool),
Phil Jones (Manchester United),
Leighton Baines (Everton),
Joleon Lescott (Manchester City),
Gary Cahill (Chelsea)

Midfielders:

Steven Gerrard (Liverpool, captain),
Frank Lampard (Chelsea),
Scott Parker (Tottenham Hotspur),
Gareth Barry (Manchester City),
James Milner (Manchester City),
Stewart Downing (Liverpool),
Theo Walcott (Arsenal),
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (Arsenal),
Ashley Young (Manchester United)

Forwards:

Wayne Rooney (Manchester United),
Danny Welbeck (Manchester United),
Andy Carroll (Liverpool),
Jermain Defoe (Tottenham Hotspur)

Manchester City winger James Milner expects England not to make the same mistakes as blighted their World Cup campaign in 2010.

Milner said: “It was my first World Cup and it was disappointing. Then it’s the summer and it’s such a long time before you get back into football. ”

“You can’t even have a good training session to take your mind off things so it’s frustrating.

“But that’s football and people always say it’s the bad results and the disappointing things that happen in your career that you remember more than times when you are successful.

“I think it’s a good thing, that you think about those and try and improve and learn from what’s happened in the past.

“Then hopefully at the next major tournament you get to, you can cut those mistakes out and improve.”

Milner admits a good performance in the Euros will only partly make amends for two years ago.

He said: “Obviously if we do well this summer it helps but it’s always a World Cup you have failed in so you can’t do anything about it.

“You can’t change it but it’s put to bed so the only thing you can change is the future – and that’s doing well in the summer.”